Work holder



J; T. QBCNY worm HOLDER Filed July 19, 1944 v May'14, 1946.

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May 14, 1946. J. T. OBI-:CNY 'A 2,400,314

` woRK HOLDER f l Filed Julyv 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 14, 194e UNITED WORKHHLDER y Jhnffrg'obeenm Los Angeles, Calif. l e Y Application Ju1'y19, 1944, serial'Ne. 545,683

j s claims. (o1. 190459) kThis invention relatesto apparatus -for--holding Work pieces or members infsuitablel position for ymultiple chucking operation in milling machines; shapers, drill presses, :grinding machines and other machine tools; More particularly this invention is an improvementupon the construction Yof workvhold'er setiorth in my Patent No. ,2,339,806yand11my :applications for patents for vwork holders `filed'on the 'thda'y of July, 1944,

latter applicationfthe present application is a continuation in part. Oneoi the objectsof the presgnt invention is thelproductionf of aVwork holderA which is extremely simple in lconstruction, effective inuseand inexpensive. A-further object is the productionof a-Workholder in which a Vmaximum number of Work pieces are securely held in operative position and in which a single pressure actuating means of any `suitable type is applied in a simple and direct manner so that holding pressure is evenly distributed and equalized `against a maximum number of work pieces simultaneously. A further object is the pro; duction of an apparatus by which no single work piece is permitted to move or slip While being machined :or Worked in any mannen whereby high precision work can be accomplished without failure to hold all of the work pieces rigidly in place. Among further objects and advantages is the saving vof time and expense in the multiple production of machined articles and the Acorrect and accurate positioning of work pieces for any type of machining orother work,

With the above objects and advantages in view, in addition to and including the principal ,o'bg jects and advantages set forthn `my patent and applications for patent identifedabove, my inl` vention comprises the features of construction and combinationv of parts hereinafter described andclaimed. i i n inA the accompanying drawings, forming .part of this specication, Fig. lfis a t'opplan of lmy improved vwork holder, a portion thereof being; broken awayto reduc'espace anda portion there'-V of being shown in section Vtaken approximately on line I I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is as'ection'ofa c leworkholder, a portion Vthereof being broken away and shown in horizontal, section, said View showing a mechanical form of pressure Aoperating means, andFig. 7 is asectionV taken on the line ,'I-:'I ofFig. 6.

Injthe drawings, `A represents a supporting body :which may be of any' suitable shape, that shown being an .oblong parallelopipedand provided withvsuitable horizontal and Vvertical slotted end bosses II) by which it can be secured by bolt ing or clamping onthe bed of a machine tool or other .support to hold workpieces in suitable operativek position for machining. One side of theV body, which for convenience in describing my invention is termed the top surface II, has a longitudinal series or rows of pairs ofr chuck units B, each unit of each pair consisting of a colletD anda cylindrical socket I2 in the body. Work pieces such as C (Fig. 3), to be cut, ground, polished or otherwise machined or worked are adapted to be held rigidly in vertical position by said collets. The collets of each chuck yunit has its axis disposed vertically in the cylindrical socket I2 vin the top surface of the body A. Each socket extendsY downwardly through the body and is .formed'withfan annular shoulder I3 (Fig. 3) at a suitable-distance below the top surface of the body to freely support the lower endof a Work piece holding collet D in said socket. This collet normally corresponds with the socket rin diameter and cylindrical shape and as vshown vresembles a longitudinally split hollow cylinder. The arcuate arms I4 and I5 of this cylinder arey separated Iby a longitudinal space or gapv IE. The collet is composed of spring material and is contractible against spring resistance While it is held in its chuck socket I2 to engage and immovably hold the shank of a work piece of any suitable shape in the Work holder. Some of the types and'shapes of collets which can be used in the chuck sockets I2 are set forth in my companion applications and patent above identified, to which reference is made for greater particularity. Thus the use of various designs and types of collets in suitable chuck socketsin conkeygbeing seated .in the' body and engaging in -a longitudinal channel i8 in the outer wall of the collet. Thus by wrapping action of one or both of the arcuate arms of a collet a work piece is engaged and held securely in operative position. The respective chuck units, that is each chuck socket |2 and its corresponding collet D are arranged in closely associated pairs, said pairs being arranged in an aligned series and providing two parallel longitudinal rows of collets, each row holding an aligned series of work-piecesC, exposed inoperative position on the body, whereby a machine tool can be applied to work two rows of work pieces simultaneously. The body A may be made of any suitable length to accommodate as many pairs of chuck units as desired.

I'he collets may be contracted by hydrostatic force which is provided by .a single actuating unit for all of the collets, said force beingdistributed evenly so as to hold all of the work pieces under evenly applied pressure. The actuating Aor driving unit may be of hydraulic, mechanical, pneumatic or other type. As shown in Figs. l to 3 inclusive, it is of hydraulic type, that is a prime mover is provided in the form of a piston 20 which is adapted to reciprocate longitudinally the force exerted by the several collet compressors is equalized, thereby transmitting the driving force imparted by the shaft to the several pairs of collets. In this manner the members of all of the pairs of collets are contracted evenly and hold the work pieces under even pressure. A stop 32 on the shaft in the vicinity of each collet compressor serves to limit the rearward movement of the latter when the collets are removed fromthe chuck bores inthe body. The collet compressors thus acting" under the 'adjusted force applied by shaft 25 and compression springs 3D y serve to equalize the Work piece holding pressure which is applied to all of the pairs of collets, Awhereby the work pieces are held securely and any inequalities thereof are compensated. Also each compressor, through its` floating action apin'a cylinder 2|, the latter being formed in the head end of the body A and-in the vicinity of ,one end of the row of pairs of chuck units. The rcompression chamber 22 in the cylinder behind the piston is shown connected by ingress and egress ducts 23 for controlling the operation of the piston, said ducts being connected with adapters 24 on the end of the body by which a suitable source of hydraulic pressure fluid may be -connected and controlled. The fluid pressure ymay be supplied and controlled from a remote source or it maybe of hand operated type incorporated into the body and of that character described in my patent and copending applications labove identied.

A plunger shaft 25 is reciprocably arranged in the body, longitudinally and horizontally between the membersmof the series of pairs of chuck units and substantially `midway between the upper and lower-end sof the chuck holding bores I2 (Fig. 2). Asnshown *theV shaft extends along a line which is transverse to the vertical axes of the several chuck units. This shaft is threadedly connected to the rear end of the piston rod 26 and is fastened by the lock nut 21, said piston rod being formed integral with piston 20 and extending rearwardly from the cylinder 2|. In this manner the plunger shaft is adapted to be reciprocated by the piston. A collet compressor 28, consisting of a cylindrical body is freely disposed axially and laterallyupon the plunger shaft between each pair of collets. The rearward end of each cylindrical compressor body 28 is conical and points rearwardly to provide a dellecting surface 29 which bears equally against the sides of the inner spring arcuate arms |5 of the forwardly directed members of each pair of collets so as to contract the members of each pair evenly when the plunger shaft 25 is reciprocated rearwardly through the operation of the piston 20. The compressors being freely disposed longitudinally upon and laterally about the shaft constitute floating members.

Each collet compressor28 is urged rearwardly by the force of the shaft 25 and of a helical expansion spring 30, the force of which spring is adjusted on the shaft 25 by the lock nuts 3| 'which are threadedly engaged 'thereon so that plies the force of compression evenly to the members of its companion pair of collets independently ofthe compensating means which is applied to the pairs. Y,

To drive the shaft 25 rearwardly and compress all of the collets, hydraulic compression liquid is admitted into the fluid actuating chamber 22 throughone of the operating ducts 23 leading from any source of hydraulicpressure supply. To Vrelease the collets the actuating shaft 25 is returned forwardly, through reverse reciprocation, Yby a master helical expansion'spring33 which isjcontained in the cylinder 2| and bears by its Opposite .ends against the piston 20 and a stop collar 34. v*The latterv engages rearwardly against an annular shoulder 35 in the cylinder and is retained in place bythe retaining ring 3B. The compression chamber 22 is formed in the cylinder k2| by the inner end of piston 20 and a stopper 31-which is held in the Acylinder by the split retainer 38. A bore 39 in continuation of the cylinder 2|.in body A provides free passage containing the collet compressors 28 and their actuating elements. When the piston 2|] is urged rearwardly by the application of suicient hydraulic or other fluid pressure in chamber 22 the spring 33 is compressed and the shaft 25 is reciprocated rearwardly, thus freely applying the collet compressors 'against the spring arms I5 of each-and every pair of collets,l causing the latter to contract and hold work pieces in operative position under evenly applied pressure. When said pressure is released from chamber 2D, all of the Working parts are released and return into normal position and the Work pieces are free to be` removed. 'The forward stroke of the piston 20 and its connected shaft 25 is limited by an annular stop shoulder 26 on the piston rod 26 which strikjes against the collar 34. Thus it will be noted that each single compressor Vunit '28 servesto apply even operating pressure against the' surfaces of the members of a'single pair of collets to contract the latter and that by providing compensating means between the actuating shaft and all of the vcompressors the operating pressure is equalized and applied evenly to all ofthe pairs of compressors so that not only are the members of each pair of collets or chuck units applied evenly but all of the pairs arealso evenly operated.

As'man'y` of thel pairs of chuck units, actuated by a single shaft' may be incorporated into a single structure as desired, also the actuating means rmay be varied and different types employed fior simultaneously operating all ofthe chuck units under evenly applied pressure.` In Figs. 6 and 7 I' haveV shown'va modified typejin which the reci-procable 'shaft 25 is'lpropelled rearwardly to each seat having a socket for receiving and holding'a work piece, a pressure element having a the forward end of the reciprocable actuating l shaft 25. teeth 42 on its opposite sides which areengaged and driven by the pinions 43. The pinions are journaled by vertical shafts 44 in the body A, said shafts in turn operating toothed quadrants 45 which are engaged and reciprocated by a worm pinion 46. The worm pinion is revolved by shaft 41 which is driven by a worm gear 48. The wor-m gear 48 is driven by the worm pinion 49 andthe main drive shaft 59, the latter being journaled in the body and being driven by the hand operated wheel 5l. This mechanism provides hand operated power multiplying means as a driving medium for reciprocating the actuating shaft 25. When set in collet compressed position this gearing will remain in work Ipiece holding position automatically without slacking or releasing the collets. Y l

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the construction thereof which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, .but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the spirit of the invention and within the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim: y K

1. .In a holder of a plurality of work pieces, the combinationfof a rbody having a longitudinal series of transverse pairs of collet seats, a contractible collet in each seat having a socket for receiving a work piece to be clamped therein, a shaft reciprocable longitudinally between the members of the pairs of said seats, a colletcompressor yieldably supported under predetermined pressure on said shaft having a deflecting surface This rack has a double set of rack bearing equally against the sides of the members 4 of each pair of collets to contract said members when the shaft is thrust forwardly, an equalizing connection between each compressor and said shaft by which the driving force imparted by the reciprocation of said shaft forwardly is applied to evenly contract all of said collets, and means for reciprocating said shaft.

2. In a structure as. defined by claim l, the equalizing connection comprising a compression spring on the shaft directed against the compressor and adjusting means on the shaft for regulating the tension of said spring.

3. In a holder for a plurality of work pieces, the combination of a body having a pair of collet seats therein, a contractible collet mounted in tapering guide surface directed laterally against the walls of both collets to contract the latter, a drive shaft reciprocably disposed between said collets upon which said pressure element is slidably nnounted, and resilient equalizing means directed against said pressure elementhaving an adjustable connection with said shaft for varying the force applied by said pressure element.

4. In a holder for a plurality of work pieces, the combination of a .body having a longitudinal series of transverse pairs of contractible chuck units, a shaft reciprocably disposed in said body between substantially all of the members of said chuck units, a cylindrical compressor body axially andfreciprocably disposed .on said shaft :between each pair of chuck units, said compressor body having a deflecting surface bearing equally against the members of the companion pair of chuck units to compensate and contract the latter when 'said shaft is reciprocated, an equalizing spring linterposed between each compressor body and the shaft having an adjustable connection withthe spring for equalizing the pressure applied byall of the compressor bodies to the chuck units, and means for reciprocating said shaft.

5. A self-contained work holder, comprising, a body containing a series of pairs of contractible chuck units, a thrust shaft reciprocable longitudinally in said body between the members cf the pairs of chuck units, pressure elements slidable on said shaft having compensated propelling connection therewith, each of said pressure elements having a bearing surface and one of the pressure elements being directed with its bearing surface against the4 members of each pair of chuck units to contract the latter when said shaft is reciprocated forwardly, and power multiplying mechanical gearing in said body connected with said shaft for reciprocating the latter and means for driving said gearing.

6. A self-contained work holder, comprising, a body containing a longitudinally aligned series of transverse pairs of contractible chuck units, a thrust shaft reciprocable longitudinally in said Y body between the members of the respective pairs 

